It's amazing how Santa Catalina Island can be a romantic vacation getaway just 22 miles from Los Angeles. Remarkably little has changed since the era of big bands and ballrooms. The small village of Avalon, surrounded by an amphitheater-like backdrop of steep hills, has never outgrown its charm. Those visitors who do leave Avalon catch the ferry for the trip to the little village of Two Harbors, also know as the Isthmus. Even kids can make the short walk from Two Harbors to the surf-lashed west coast, and a trip to the island's rugged interior is a step back in time.
Catalina Island was one of the featured island destinations in the "American Summers" showcase of four iconic getaways and one of the "Best Islands for Snorkeling". The authentic experiences of Catalina earned this destination a place on ISLANDS magazine's "Best Islands for Families" list, coming in the November 2009 issue.
Catalina Snorkeling
Slip into the temperate waters of Lover's Cove on Catalina. Light beams dance and sway beneath the green canopy of kelp, a sea grass that can grow one foot a day. Bright orange garibaldi ignite the scene with their fiery, neon-orange presence. See giant sea bass, flirty harbor seals, a fleet of sea lions and elegant bat rays. And that's just the start of your adventures in the national marine park that surrounds this Channel Island: Lover's Cove tops the list, but you can snorkel from any coast on this island and get lost in your reverie.
Slip into the temperate waters of Lover's Cove on Catalina. Light beams dance and sway beneath the green canopy of kelp, a sea grass that can grow one foot a day. Bright orange garibaldi ignite the scene with their fiery, neon-orange presence. See giant sea bass, flirty harbor seals, a fleet of sea lions and elegant bat rays. And that's just the start of your adventures in the national marine park that surrounds this Channel Island: Lover's Cove tops the list, but you can snorkel from any coast on this island and get lost in your reverie.
Catalina Sightseeing
In Avalon, the most famous landmark is the Casino building, the "place of entertainment" built in 1929 as a movie theater and ballroom. The Art-Deco wonders of the Casino are open for special events, and the building is also home to the Casino Art Gallery, Avalon Theater and Catalina Island Museum. Hike one and a half miles up Avalon Canyon Road to the Wrigley Memorial; it honors the island's longtime owner, chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley and is the centerpiece of a fine botanical garden specializing in plants native to California's islands. Along the way you'll pass the nine-hole golf course (Southern California's oldest, built in 1892) and the baseball diamond where the Wrigley-owned Chicago Cubs used to hold spring training. If you're up to it, pick up a free hiking permit and scramble up the ridge trail that starts at the memorial. Or, on the way back to town, detour onto Wrigley Road which is right below the Inn at Mount Ada (the Wrigleys' former summer home and now a popular B&B) for the best view of the town and Avalon Bay.
In Avalon, the most famous landmark is the Casino building, the "place of entertainment" built in 1929 as a movie theater and ballroom. The Art-Deco wonders of the Casino are open for special events, and the building is also home to the Casino Art Gallery, Avalon Theater and Catalina Island Museum. Hike one and a half miles up Avalon Canyon Road to the Wrigley Memorial; it honors the island's longtime owner, chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley and is the centerpiece of a fine botanical garden specializing in plants native to California's islands. Along the way you'll pass the nine-hole golf course (Southern California's oldest, built in 1892) and the baseball diamond where the Wrigley-owned Chicago Cubs used to hold spring training. If you're up to it, pick up a free hiking permit and scramble up the ridge trail that starts at the memorial. Or, on the way back to town, detour onto Wrigley Road which is right below the Inn at Mount Ada (the Wrigleys' former summer home and now a popular B&B) for the best view of the town and Avalon Bay.
Catalina Kayaking
The sheltered leeward waters near Avalon are just right for first- time kayakers -- and a good place to become acquainted with the floating world of giant kelp beds. Beginners and intermediates alike can join a tour that starts at Little Harbor, on the southern shore, and explores the windward side's coves and cliffs, where bald eagles soar.
The sheltered leeward waters near Avalon are just right for first- time kayakers -- and a good place to become acquainted with the floating world of giant kelp beds. Beginners and intermediates alike can join a tour that starts at Little Harbor, on the southern shore, and explores the windward side's coves and cliffs, where bald eagles soar.
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